Drabbles for All
by S. T. Nickolian
Summary: A series of oneshots/drabbles that have absolutely nothing to do with each other unless stated otherwise. Ch 15: Gin's thoughts as Rangiku cries over him. Spoilers for manga chapters 416 and up.
1. Family Complications

Family Complications

Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH or Evanescence's "Missing."

* * *

Rukia sat by the door of the Shrine of Penitence, eyes shimmering as she thought of what she had just been told. Renji said Ichigo might have lived, and now Renji was defeated. She winced as a thought came unbidden into her mind. _Nii-sama… won't take kindly to this…_

Speaking of her brother, Rukia flinched as she remembered the indifference in his voice as he recited the fate that had been decided for her. She didn't regret any of what she did in the living world, but a part of her would always strive to please him, and, right now, she could only imagine how _displeased_ he was with her.

She closed her eyes and began to sway back and forth slightly for a small comfort. She had never meant to displease him - she had spent too much time trying to live up to the clan name. A tune ran though her mind and she could help but find it appropriate for her situation. It was one she had heard Karin playing, an English one.

"Please, please forgive me,  
But I won't be home again.  
Maybe someday you'll look up,  
And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one:  
'Isn't something missing?'"

_That's true…_ She was to be executed, she could be able to go home again, and her brother probably wouldn't even notice that she was gone. Would he miss her?

"You won't cry for my absence, I know -  
You forgot me long ago.  
Am I that unimportant?  
Am I so insignificant?  
Isn't something missing?  
Isn't someone missing me?"

_That's right… he only came to look for me as a mission…_ If he had truly missed her, as a captain he would have had the resources necessary for finding her. And was she truly not worth it?_ If that's the case, why did he adopt me in the first place?_ Would _any_ of the clan miss her? A sad smile crept to her face because she already knew the answer - they wouldn't.

"Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't someone missing me?"

A joyless laugh escaped her lips as she thought about the words. She was going to die partly so that the clan wouldn't be charged with housing a criminal, and she knew that he wouldn't try to help her. _He made that clear last time we spoke…_ She _would_ die to know that he loved her, even if just a little bit.

"Please, please forgive me,  
But I won't be home again.  
I know what you do to yourself,  
I breathe deep and cry out,  
'Isn't something missing?'  
Isn't someone missing me?"

She knew that her brother was closing himself off from the world, and she knew that it was slowly destroying him. She had been subconsciously doing the same thing, and she didn't know what would have happened if she hadn't met Ichigo, but… Byakuya had no one.

"Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't someone missing me?"

Her throat constricted before she could continue as salty tears flooded her eyes. She would do anything for her brother, all he had to do was tell her, and she didn't blame him for what was happening now, she couldn't. _Nii-sama…_

"And if I bleed, I'll bleed,  
Knowing you don't care.  
And if I sleep just to dream of you,  
I'll wake without you there…  
Isn't something missing?  
Isn't something…"

Tears started falling down her cheeks as she remembered the time he had somewhat comforted her, right after Kaien-dono… right after she killed him. Byakuya had allowed her time to mourn, and would stay one step closer to her whenever they both had to go out, two steps closer when around Ichimaru Gin, acting as a buffer between her and the world. Now he didn't care.

"Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't someone missing me?"

The Kuchiki was reduced to sobbing, slowly resigning herself to her death, but she didn't feel the source of a powerful reiatsu outside her door, slowly walking away, his dark eyes closed so no one would see the conflict there. The Kuchiki head looked up at the sky, seemingly trying to find answers written in the clouds. "Hisana… what do I do?"

* * *

AN: First attempt at BLEACH fanfiction, so please go easy on me! I just up and wrote this one day for seemingly no reason at all. I'll be the first to admit that crossovers by far are my forte and this is just kinda there, so please review and tell me how I could make it better! 


	2. Always Come Back

Always Come Back

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to BLEACH.

* * *

Rangiku sat at her window, staring out at the clouds. Her hair cascaded down her back in waves of strawberry blonde and her crystal eyes were glazed over as if seeing something that wasn't there.

_Sayonara, Rangiku._ His usually grinning face was formed into a regret-filled frown as he turned back to face her. His silky silver hair swayed lightly in the energy radiating from the beam around him. _Gomen._

The fukutaichou shook her head to clear it of the memory though it persistently lingered. What would have happened, if she hadn't let go, or, as he said, 'held on a bit longer'? Would she have gone with him, or would he have stayed with her?

Looking back on it, she knew that she would have gone with him, had he asked her to, despite her undying loyalty to her taichou – she owed the traitor that much at least for all he had done for her. Now, however…

She sighed and leaned her head against the window frame. Now her loyalty was solely to Hitsugaya Toshiro and Soul Society. Despite all his yelling at her and her teasing him, she and her captain were very close, if only because they had both lost someone precious from the betrayal. _Hinamori-kun is still in that coma and Gin…_

She sighed again and looked at the sake bottle beside her. Since the betrayal, she had immersed herself in her work, her sake and anything else that kept her busy. When she was busy, she didn't think of the past so much, didn't think of Gin so much… She knew Hitsugaya was worried about her, but she was worried about him, too – he had thrown everything he had into the work from not only their division, but the Fifth's as well.

A smile came to her lips as she thought about how he had slowed down recently. He had started after they got back from the living world, after they met Ichigo's sister.

She chuckled a little when she remembered Karin calling him an elementary student and ruffling his hair. It had made such a cute picture.

A grinning face and red eyes crossed her mind again and she sighed. She still remembered how cute he was, back when they were children, before his grin had become a leer, before he met Aizen.

* * *

"Gin!" Large crystal eyes looked around frantically. "Gin, please come out!" They had been playing together, like children, when he disappeared. "Gin!"

Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind, causing her to scream. She looked down at the pale arms around her shoulders and calmed. She felt his head on her hair and sighed. "Gomen, Ran-chan, for worryin' you." She leaned back into him, a sort of hug of her own.

He always disappeared without telling her anything, but he always came back, so it was fine with her. Her small hands clasped over his arms, holding him there. "Gin…"

_

* * *

Of course, then he went somewhere I couldn't follow as I was._ Rangiku sighed and looked back to the clouds. _Will you come back, again? Will you came back like you used to? Or did you want me to follow you like I did when you became a shinigami?_

She sighed again and leaned back. She had so many questions but it was too late for them now. She stood and prepared to go to the office, for once leaving a full bottle of sake in her wake. _You've made your choice, Gin, and now I've made mine._

* * *

Red eyes watched her leave with a sad smile. She had chosen Soul Society over him, and he couldn't blame her. Had he been in the same position, he would have done the same thing. _You're stronger now, Ran-chan, but you can still be weak, but when that happens, I'll be there…_ He turned to leave, making sure to hide his reiatsu completely. _I'll always come back as long as you need me, and you still do, whether you know it or not._

_

* * *

_

AN: You'll find that I love this pairing VERY much, almost as much as HitsugayaKarin. ; Thank you all for reading and please leave a review!


	3. Just a Kid

Just a Kid

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to BLEACH.

* * *

Karin dribbled her soccer ball up the street, toward the guard rail where she always used to find Toushirou playing with his cell phone. _Even after a couple years, I still come by here to check it out._ A small smile graced her lips as she remembered the white-haired taichou.

She had admired him when she had seen him, but she hadn't paid enough attention to realize that she was attracted to him. Now that she was older and a _little_ more connected to her feminine side, she knew that he was probably the only one that she had liked. When she was young, she had had a small crush on her brother, but she had grown out of that too quickly for it to count.

She stopped by the rail, looking to the sunset. _It brought back memories, he said…_ Her smile widened slightly as she remembered how his eyes had sparkled in the diminishing sunlight. _I suppose that he was right._ After a few moments, she sat on the guardrail, just like she used to and let herself pretend for a while that he was really there again.

She forgot about her soccer ball and didn't notice that it was rolling down the hill. It was trapped by a foot before it got too far, however. "Why is it," she tensed, "that whenever we meet, I end up saving your ball?"

Her eyes widened and she turned to the white-haired boy with a black polo shirt and a bored expression on his face. "Tou… shirou…" She knew that she had a shocked expression on her face and that her ponytail had hit her in the face because she had turned her head too fast, but she could only stare.

He was taller than she remembered, so she couldn't call him an elementary student anymore, but other than that, he hadn't changed much. His hair still defied gravity and his teal eyes sparkled in the diminishing light.

She smiled when he arched an eyebrow at her shocked expression. "Well are you going to come sit or are you going to stand there all night?"

"Hn." He closed his eyes and walked over, his feet dribbling the ball lightly. He leaned against the rail, facing the opposite way. "What are you doing out here?"

She laughed, causing him to glance over at her curiously, taking in her appearance. "I come here all the time – it's the best place I can find to look at the sky." She knew he was amused at her choice of words – the same words he told her. "So, how's Rangiku-san?"

"Lazy." She laughed quietly and he joined in even more quietly. "Over all, not too bad." He turned to look at the sunset over his shoulder while watching the dark-haired girl. "Aizen has been very quiet, and your brother has been taking care of any Arrancar that show up."

"So you came down here because you're bored?" He could hear the incredulity in her voice and he smirked, swinging around on the rail, the ball balanced on top of his foot.

"I suppose you could say that." He laughed outright at her shock and shook his head. "Come now, Kurosaki, I'm not that uptight, am I?" He raised a hand when she opened her mouth. "Never mind – don't answer that."

Karin laughed. "Well, if you're so bored, how about a game?" She stole the ball from him easily and bounced it on her knee. "It'll keep you occupied _and_ it'll give me an excuse to be home late."

She looked so hopeful that the taichou could only smile slightly and lead the way down to the field they had played on as long before. "Aa. I need an excuse to not eat Orihime-san's food tonight."

She grinned and began racing him to the field. Toushirou watched her for a moment before deciding to humor her and running with her, even though he could have beaten her easily. _This is what I missed… I guess Matsumoto was right – I really am just a kid sometimes._

_

* * *

_

AN: Yay! HitsuKarin! Favorite pairing! Thank you all for reading and please review!


	4. My Princess

My Princess

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to BLEACH.

* * *

Red eyes gazed at the wasteland around him, grin spread across his face. Ichimaru Gin's eyes, however, showed disgust for his surroundings, though he was careful to hide it from the two men on his left. Aizen looked completely at peace in Hueco Mundo and Tousen just looked as indifferent as always.

They had just finished appointing the Espada and the former captain of the third division needed to get away from all the hollows, and away from Aizen. "Well, I'm goin' to go have some fun. Ja." He turned and began walking away, knowing that they wouldn't stop him.

He wouldn't sigh out loud – there were too many people that didn't trust him – even if he desperately wanted to. _Where's Ran-chan when I need her?_ His grin faltered for a millisecond as the thought came unbidden into his mind. _Rangiku…_

His pace increased slightly, as if he was trying to outrun the memories attached to the name. _Even if she was here, she wouldn't be happy… she wouldn't have let go otherwise…_ Inwardly, he knew that wasn't completely true – if he had kept her with him, he would have been able to keep her happy. _Ran…_ But he would never impose on her.

He transported himself to the living world, covering his reiatsu completely and wandering Karakura. He had often found himself walking around the town to simply relax, and try to get his mind off the possibilities of what could have happened…

"I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, lieutenant under Captain Hitsugaya." Gin stopped short, eyes wide and whirled to the field on his right. He saw the back of Hitsugaya's head and Rangiku talking to a dark-haired girl that could apparently see shinigami.

The girl said something to the Little Icy and started patting his head, but Gin couldn't bring himself to find humor in it: he couldn't bring himself to look away from his childhood friend at all. She laughed when Toushirou raged and a pang went through Gin's heart. "Rangiku…"

He hid behind a pole to watch as the Little Icy walked the girl home, after much teasing from the lieutenant of course. She waved the two off until they were out of sight then she slowly brought her hand down, her smile waning. Before he realized what he was doing, Gin was walking toward her. "Ma ma – it's not good for ya t' be sad this much," he saw her tense and smiled. "Ran-chan."

She whirled around to stare at him in shock. "Gin…" Somehow, he didn't look right without his shinigami robes and his usual grin was replaced with a smile – the kind from when they were children. Without her notice, she began to shake. "What are you doing here, Ichimaru?"

Red eyes focused on her trembling hands and he took hold of them. "Needed t'get some fresh air an' just got lucky t'see ya, I suppose." He ran his thumbs over her knuckles as if to reassure her that he was really there, and to reassure himself. "I missed ya, Ran-chan."

Her eyes bean to cloud with the tears he somehow knew that she hadn't spilled yet. "Then… W-why did you…" Her hair shadowed her eyes as she bent her head.

The former third captain tightened his hold on her hands before releasing one and using the now free hand to tilt her head back up to him. "I was asked…" She closed her eyes and stifled a sob. "But…" He caressed her cheek to gain her attention again. "If you asked, I would come back, tell you anything, take any punishment, Rangiku, all you have to do is ask."

She whimpered. He was acting more like the Gin she knew after he saved her in Rukongai than the Ichimaru-taichou of the Third Division of the Gotei 13. He brushed away a tear and her knees buckled. He caught her and the lieutenant clung to him. "Don't leave… please, don't leave again…" The tears were falling freely and they stained his shirt. "Gin…"

His arms snaked around her waist to support her. "As you wish, Rangiku." He put his face in her fair and took in her scent, tightening his hold on her. _I'll do anything for you, my Rangiku, my princess._

* * *

AN: Now _why_ can't this really happen. T-T So sad... Anyway, thank you all for reading and please review!


	5. Protective

Protective 

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to BLEACH.

* * *

_**You know, this would be so much easier if – **_

_Shut up, teme! _Ichigo sighed as the presence in his mind retreated slightly, snickering. Hichigo had always been a pain, but for some reason he was reacting more whenever Hitsugaya was around Karin. _For the sake of all that is good, she's our sister and she can take care of herself._

Hichigo snickered and the shinigami sighed in exasperation. _**Come on, Kingy, you know that you don't like the little guy around Karin either…**_

The substitute shinigami furrowed his brow, thinking over what the hollow had said. They were one in the same, making up the same soul, so if anyone knew himself better than he did, it would be his hollow. Yes, he _was_ protective of Karin around Hitsugaya, but it was the same way that he was protective of Yuzu around Urahara's boy, Jinta. _They're my sisters, of course I don't like guys being around them._

_**But there's a difference, isn't there?**_ Hichigo sounded serious for once forcing his host to listen._** Karin is more sensitive to anything spiritual – she can see shinigami, she can see hollows – just like you.**_ The strawberry blonde scowled, not liking where this was going. _**You're afraid, Kingy… you don't want your sister involved with shinigami because you're afraid that she'll turn out just. Like. You.**_

"Shut _up!_" He threw the CD player he was holding across the room, shattering it on the wall.

"Ichi-nii?" He whirled to see Karin looking at him worriedly. "Are you okay?" She stepped in hesitantly, not sure of his temper. "Is he bothering you, again?"

_**Oh, she's good. Just like you.**_ The presence faded to the back of his mind to watch.

Her brother sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah… he's bothering me again…" He had his eyes closed but could feel the frown on her face. "Don't worry, Karin – he's under control." He pointedly ignored the indignant scoff from inside his mind and lied back on the bed. He didn't know how she knew about his inner hollow, but he didn't truly care since she was someone he would be able to talk to about it.

He felt his sister climb on to the bed and place her head on his chest. The shinigami sighed and wrapped an arm around her. _She would never forgive me if I tried to protect her from the world, but I think I can indulge myself just this once._

When Kon walked in, he was shocked to see them asleep in that position, but he couldn't find it in himself to wake them. _It's rare to see them both so peaceful._ He closed the door softly behind him.

* * *

AN: I liked this one! There's a hint of incest in it, but only if you squint REALLY hard (I swear, I did NOT mean for it to come out that way). XD Thank you all for reading and please review!


	6. Mistakes

Mistakes

Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH.

* * *

Urahara Kisuke sat in his shop, his customary happy attitude missing as he looked down at the blueprints in front of him. 'Hougyoku' was printed at the top and they went into great detail on what it did, how it was used, and how it was made. Many times the former captain had looked them over before, looking for ways to destroy the device, but it seemed his genius had been _too_ brilliant when creating it – it was as close to indestructible as anything could get.

The shop keeper leaned back with a sigh and looked at the group sleeping in the other room. Rukia was curled up in a ball, oblivious to both Ichigo and Renji on either side of her. The others were sprawled out around the room, though some a bit more gracefully than others, such as Uryuu.

What had he been thinking that night, when he put the Hougyoku in Rukia's soul? It had nearly killed her, plus he had caused some hostility to rise from the Kuchiki Clan, namely its head. Kisuke shuddered as he thought of the Sixth Captain's rage.

Now, his abominable creation was in someone else's hands – someone who would actually use it. Aizen was far too dangerous as it was, and that was why Kisuke didn't hesitate to ask Ichigo to help him again.

He sighed again and rolled up the blueprints, stashing them away so no one would find them. He was worried about the substitute shinigami – he was worried about them all, but that meant little to nothing seeing as Aizen didn't care about squat.

"Let's just hope this goes well…" He wouldn't repeat his past mistakes – he would do everything in his power to fix them.

* * *

AN: This is how I think Urahara really feels about what he did. Thank you all for reading and please review!


	7. Rival

Rival

Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH.

* * *

Karin watched her sister run around joyfully in the snow, kicking some up here or there and dancing in it. Her twin loved the snow – well, she loved just about everything, really – especially life.

Karin turned away to walk toward the field, soccer ball hung over her shoulder. Sure there were a couple inches of snow on the ground and more coming, but that would just mean that there were less people trying to use the field, such as some idiot middle-schoolers.

Despite her sister's love for it, Karin didn't like the snow too much. It was wet, cold, it made the ground muddy, and it caused more accidents, bringing in more people to be treated at the clinic. Plus it reminded her of Hitsugaya Toushirou. She would never forget the way he killed the Hollow on the soccer field that day. Ever since, snow and ice reminded her of him – even when she didn't want to be reminded.

Then, she hadn't known where Ichigo was, and she still didn't know for half the time since he always went off to who-knows-where without telling any of the family.

When she had demanded to know where Ichigo was, he had complimented her, even if it was a bit disguised when he said that Ichigo was like _her_, and she flushed whenever she thought about it now, which she had quickly come to hate. Since everything seemed to remind her of him these days, she thought about it often.

"Do you make it a point to lose yourself in thought often, Kurosaki?"

_Speak of the shinigami and he will come._ She lifted her eyes to meet bored teal and glared at him slightly. _I didn't want to even be reminded of him a moment ago, so why am I so happy to see him?_ "You, me, game, right now."

He arched an eyebrow at her request but shrugged, leading the way down to the field for her game.

As they played, Karin realized why she had been practicing so much since she last saw him – she wanted to get better, to beat him. She had seen how good he was when they played the middle-schoolers and had wanted to get better – to be seen as a rival in his eyes. The same eyes that were focused on her and showed the smile his face couldn't, and she couldn't help but smile back. She was his rival, in soccer if nothing else and she wouldn't let him beat her.

* * *

AN: Don't really know what I was thinking when I wrote this, but hopefully it'll have gotten rid of the major writing block I seem to be having. Please review. Thank you for reading!


	8. Loyalty

Loyalty

Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH.

* * *

Soi Fong let out a yell as she attacked the punching bag in front of her fervently. Omaeda had long since left training, and she was glad that the load of lard was out of her presence. He was lazy and was good for nothing but cleaning out the leftovers.

The captain of the Second Division couldn't help but smile a little as she thought of how she had come so far from her childhood. _Yoruichi-sama…_ The punching bag she had been working on tore through the middle and the stuffing fell out.

Shihouen Yoruichi had been the one person that Soi Fong strived to gain the approval of. As a child she had trained to protect the warrior then, when she left, Soi Fong strove to surpass her, the betrayal cutting deep. After Yoruichi left Soul Society, Soi Fong had closed off, not wanting to let anyone near enough to hurt her again.

Soi Fong left the mess to be cleaned up by someone else and went to another training room to exercise her Jinteki Shakusetu. When she had heard that the ryoka were breaking nearly all of their laws, she had been furious, but she had been enraged when Kyouraku and Ukitake had seemed to betray them. The memory of her 'sister's' betrayal had made her want to rip them apart.

Soi Fong started ripping through the training dummies set up around the room, her zanpakuto eliminating them easily. Then _she_ had showed up. The fight had been amazing, but it showed the Second Division Captain how far she still had to go. Yoruichi was still so much stronger, and she was somehow able to make the loyalty for her Soi Fong had buried – she had made it resurface after so long.

She paused as a Hell Butterfly floated in front of her, and she held out her hand for it to land on. The captain nodded at the message and began running. _Hai, Yoruichi-sama…_ She would now and always be loyal.

* * *

AN: I thought about this for a while, and it's basically just my views on Soi Fong's feelings - she's just loyal. Thank you for reading and please review!


	9. Exile

Exile

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to BLEACH.

Dedication: This one is dedicated to my brilliant beta, Translucent Darkness, who is graduating this year; I'll miss her when she's in college.

* * *

Urahara Kisuke stood in front of the portal he had created for Isshin's son and his friends to pass through to Soul Society. His hand was close to his chest, closed tightly into a fist. The slight sting of pain from when he tried to touch it was still there, causing more than just physical pain.

Everything… all of this… Kuchiki Rukia's loss of powers, capture and soon to be punishment… everything that happened to and around her… It was all Kisuke's fault.

_If I hadn't created that abomination… If I hadn't been so ambitious…_ The indifferent façade the shop-keeper wore shifted to a scowl, and his three employees' eyes widened in surprise. He was usually a cheerful guy.

_If I hadn't…_ His eyes closed, and he turned sharply away from the portal, ignoring the questions Jinta was asking. He had made the two children, Ururu, and Jinta, because he was lonely back then. Tessai was there, but it wasn't the same. Youruichi was often gone, gathering information, and Isshin had met Masaki and gotten married, and Hiyori might as well have loathed him now, so there was no one around him for a long period of time.

Kisuke left the basement training ground and went to his room. Sitting down on the floor, he glared at it. All of them, except maybe Isshin, who he had a feeling would have left Soul Society with or without the others, would still be up in 'heaven' as seated officers to the Gotei 13.

Youruichi would still be head of the Special Forces with Soifon by her side, and the cat would no doubt still be teasing the present captain of the sixth division, Kuchiki Byakuya. Harako Shinji would still be captain of the Fifth Division and his former fuku-taicho would still be on a leash. All the other vaizards would have their respective positions, teasing each other and causing chaos. Isshin would probably be trying to keep both his lives, the one as taicho of the Tenth Division and the one in the living world as a father.

Most importantly, the Hougyoko wouldn't be in existence. Aizen wouldn't be after it for Kami only knows what.

Kisuke hated that he could never take back what he did. He loathed what he had caused for the people around him, the pain and trials they went through, and he hated that he couldn't fix it: their situations, what they had become.

More than that, though, he hated that he couldn't move anywhere.

He hated his exile.

AN: Yeah, I was feeling a bit dark when I wrote this, but I'd been wanting to for a while. Weird. Thank you all for reading, and please leave a review if you want!


	10. Vengeance

Vengeance

Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH in any way, shape or form.

* * *

Hinamori sat alone in her cell, staring at the moon through the bars. Aizen-taichou… her Aizen-taichou… Tears that she thought had run out fell from her eyes. Why… Why would Hitsugaya-kun… why would he kill Aizen-taichou?

The hand that held the letter to her chest tightened, crumpling it a little. She couldn't believe it. Her childhood friend could not have hurt – could not have _killed_ her captain, but… Aizen-taichou said he had… "What… is happening? Why?... Why? Why-why-_why?!"_

She no longer cared if the guard at her cell door thought she was crazy. She wasn't entirely sure that she wasn't. Aizen-taichou said that Hitsugaya-kun had killed him, and then asked her to avenge him. How would she be able to kill the boy she had grown up with – the boy Granny had loved with all her heart? How did that little boy become a murderer?

Hinamori sobbed. Hitsugaya-kun… had been her little brother. She couldn't kill her brother, so… He wouldn't be her brother anymore. Her brown eyes closed as more tears tried to spill through. _Gomen, Shiro-chan…_

Shiro, the boy from Rukongai… he would always be her brother, but the person he had become… she would never forgive him.

Hinamori smoothed out the letter with a new resolved and tucked it in her kimono. Standing up, she solidified the new resolve. She was going to avenge Aizen-taichou.

* * *

AN: Hm. I'm not very fond of this one. I just thought I should do one on what went through Hinamori's head while she was in the cell. Well, tell me what you think, please!


	11. Watching

Watching

Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH in any way, shape, or form.

* * *

Ulquiorra watched his charge sleep, his emerald eyes indifferent as always. This woman – no – this child… had power, far more than her naïve mind could ever realize. Power that Aizen-sama must have wanted – why else would she still be here, alive?

The cuatre espada's eyes narrowed minutely in thought. This little girl wanted nothing more than to protect, but she may be forced to attack or hurt the very ones she meant to keep out of danger, if only a little while longer. _Pity._

Orihime… was a strange girl. It had taken him a while to get her to eat, and he was surprised at her strength of will. Ulquiorra heard her mumbling in her sleep and came over to the couch where she lay. "Kurosaki… -kun…"

Even now, she was waiting for the shinigami boy to save her, though she knew it was near impossible. The light glittered off her hair clips, the sources of her power, and Ulquiorra reached out to pull her hair out of her face.

She truly was a strange girl: always trying to look on the bright side, even if there was none. Staring down at her for a moment more, Ulquiorra memorized her features. Even if there was no importance behind his sudden interest, he figured that he might as well memorize what he could; she was a strange girl, and he doubted that he would meet anyone like her again.

Moving back to the wall, Ulquiorra returned to watching her – it was all he could do.

* * *

AN: Yeah... I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote this one. ; I just thought that, emotionless bastard as he is, Ulquiorra must have thought about what she was, if only a little. Tell me what you think, please!


	12. Two Sides of It

Two Sides of It

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to BLEACH.

* * *

Ichigo sighed as he felt his sisters fall asleep and Rukia finally close his closet door, putting a barrier between them. "Aw, is Kingy having a lover's spat with his queen?" Brown eyes clenched shut at the voice interrupting his musings. "Now, now, no need to try to shut me out – I am you after all."

"You are _not._" Ichigo opened his eyes, glaring at the sideways clouds. "You are a hollow, _not_ me." He hadn't fully mastered the dark side of himself yet, even after all his work and training with Shinji and the other vaizards. "And why are you so interested in Rukia – you can't have her."

Hichigo shrugged and laid back against one of the many buildings of their mindscape. "Meh. I've been antsy ever since we saw that blue-haired freak, Grimm-something, nearly blow her away. You have been, too, Kingy."

Ichigo scowled and mirrored his hollow's position. "Whatever."

They laid in silence for a while, Zangetsu watching over them. "Ne, Hollow." The orange-haired shinigami received an answering 'hm', and his custom scowl softened. "What… is Rukia to us?"

"Eh?" Hichigo sat up to stare at his light side incredulously. "Don't tell me you're antsy enough that you're questioning your own logic? She's your nakama, isn't she?"

A frown crossed the black-robed teen's features. "Well, yeah, but… I don't want to protect any of the others like her, and I'm not… The others don't make the rain here stop like she does, ne, Old Man Zangetsu?"

Dark sunglasses glinted in the sunlight, as he looked up at the sky. "Yes. It rained here all the time, even around the others, before she came."

Hichigo raised an eyebrow, looking from one of them to the other and finally settled on throwing his arms up and laying back. "Baka." _It's probably best not to let them know about that other chick, Orihime-something-or-other, what with just leaving and all. He's not as protective of her and the others as Rukia, but he'd still run after them… Baka._

When Ichigo woke up the next morning, he didn't know that he would be leading himself and rest of his nakama straight into a place where they could be killed easily.

AN: I really liked this one, but it's just kinda weird, especially after the last one, which I didn't like. Thank you all for reading, and PLEASE review for me! The only reviews I've gotten from the same few people! I really want to know what you all think!


	13. A New Life

A New Life

Disclaimer: I don't own BLEACH.

* * *

Aizen Sousuke sat back in his throne, enjoying how his 'children' fought over the spot that currently belonged to his most loyal child. The only one not participating was Grimmjaw, and that was only because he wanted to fight Ulquiorra as a power challenge, not for a higher position among the Espada.

The red flash of a Cero brought a smug smile to his lips. This was far more interesting than being a captain for the Gotei 13, at least, it was in Aizen's point of view. He had noticed that Gin was becoming restless and he could guess what was disturbing the former Third Captain: the fuku-taichou of the Tenth Division.

A frown marred Aizen's features as he thought about that girl. She would be a problem in the future, he could tell. Gin was far too attached to her and could possibly refuse to fight her. Aizen wasn't a fool, and he wasn't deaf – he knew what Gin had said to her before they left Soul Society, and he couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she hadn't let go of the silver-haired man, like Gin had hoped she wouldn't.

Nnoitre let out a cry of outrage as Ulquiorra defeated him, again, drawing Aizen from his thoughts. Ulquiorra didn't kill him, again, and returned to his master's side. "Well done, Ulquiorra." The arrancar bowed slightly, but his face remained impassive.

Aizen smiled, thinking of how alike Ulquiorra and Hinamori were – too loyal for their own good. He settled back to watch another fight break out, happy with the life he had made for himself. _Now all we need to do is find a way to fix Gin's girl…_

* * *

AN: Don't ask me where this came from. I considered not even posting it... Yeah, I didn't like it that much.


	14. Treasures

Treasures

Disclaimer: I own nothing of or related to BLEACH.

~(*)~

Grey-blue eyes watched a couple shinigami return from the human world from her place at her office window. They looked so happy to be back.

A smile flit across her face as she remembered the first time _he_ came back after vanishing for no more than a few hours. They'd been together for barely a week—two kids struggling to survive in the harsh environment of Rukongai, not that he made it seem like he was struggling at all—and he'd simply disappeared from her side in the middle of the street.

When he'd finally found her little more than two or three hours later, she'd curled herself in the corner of an alley, sobbing silently because she'd searched for him everywhere, but he was just gone. His words still echoed in her mind, a gentle reminder of what he used to be.

"_There ya are, Ran-cha—why are you crying?"_

Too caught up in throwing herself at him, letting her tears rain onto his shoulder, Rangiku hadn't heard the almost threatening tone in his voice once he saw her tears. A small presage of what he could become, perhaps, but he'd held her, whispering assurances into her hair until she calmed down—the same assurance he whispered to her every time he came back from wherever it was he went, and the same assurances he broke every time he vanished again until he left her completely for the Seireitei and ultimately, Aizen.

His expression as he was carried to Hueco Mundo with the other two traitors, that remorseful tilt of his eyes and that frown, almost made her believe that he wanted to take her with him that time. His words had just proved it.

Rangiku fingered the slight pink scarf around her neck—a replacement for the one _he_ gave her—and felt her lips quivering between a smile and a frown.

She had followed him to Seireitei, partly because he was there already, and partly because she _was_ a shinigami, but it didn't matter either way, because he was waiting for her, a simple short pink scarf in hand.

"_There ya are, Ran-chan. Took ya long enough."_

Her most precious possession was always around her neck, even when she out grew it by far. So when it was shredded during a spar with her taicho, she had to pretend it was "nothing, no big deal." Perhaps her acting at the time hadn't been as good as she thought, because two days later, Hitsugaya-taicho, blushing and awkward, presented her with the one she wore now.

He was just so cute she had to tease him for a few days and not wear it. A flustered Tenth Division Captain was just too adorable to pass up. But, she could admit to herself that she had an ulterior motive. She wanted to see if _he_ would even notice. Of course, if he did, he didn't show it, instead keeping up his perpetual grin and teasing her Chibi-taicho. It wasn't until after she started wearing the longer scarf that she was rewarded with the faintest drop of his smile that she was certain only she could see.

The next day, a package was delivered to her by a nondescript Third Division girl, and her new favorite possession came into her hands. She never took the chain necklace off, even when they dropped down into the human world for a time. Her new scarf was a close second, but _his_ gifts always came first.

"_Don't go around wearin' anybody else's favors unless you got one o' mine."_ Rangiku laughed quietly as she remembered the card that came with the necklace—it was so Gin, but no one would know that but her.

So she wore her two most important men's gifts, and clung to them like a lifeline during the turmoil of the ryoka and everything that followed. Orihime asked her about them once, but she gave ambiguous answers that satisfied to over-imaginative girl.

Rangiku propped her head up on her chin, grinning when her taicho came back in and scowled darkly at her lack of progress on her stack of paperwork. She didn't tell anyone the significance of either of her treasures, because if they found out who gave them to her, no one would let it stay quiet.

She couldn't wear the favors of a traitor after all.

* * *

AN: Is any of this valid in the actual BLEACH storyline? Probably not, but I thought it would have been cute nonetheless. Anyway, I had fun with this one, so please leave me a review!


	15. Smile

Smile

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to BLEACH.

* * *

Everything has been for you, even if you don't realize, recognize, or remember any of it.

Our time together as children in Rukongai, my painful parting with you for Seireitei, my designs to get close to Aizen. All this and so much more has been for you. From the day I picked you up, you were mine to take care of, mine to heal.

But I couldn't heal you. No one else could see that something was missing, stolen, but I could. I saw the hole in you, reminiscent of those in the hollows we destroy, and I couldn't fill it back in.

So I gave up our days of peace, followed that bastard to where I knew he would be, to try to make a world where you wouldn't have to cry.

My precious Ran-chan, I'm so sorry, but it looks like you're crying again, and it's my fault now.

I sold my soul to try to save yours.

But I'm not strong enough. I tried to be. I tried so hard to be more manipulative than Aizen, but he was still a step ahead of me to the very end.

I thought the poison hidden in my soul would be enough to make him vanish once and for all—you should be only one even remotely resistant to me—but he just remade himself from dust.

Part of me wants to say that that ability of his comes from the piece of you he stole, the piece of you and your Ash-Cat, but I don't even try to figure out how the damn orb works anymore. Even when I stole it, I didn't know how I would get back the piece of you it held.

I still tried. After all, we're connected, Ran-chan. That is something I've firmly believed since I learned of your shikai.

My zanpakuto turns to dust. Yours to ash. And they both come back together again. There are so many ways we could try to explain that—our swords breaking down then reforming could be like when I always left as a child, doing something for you, and returning, always. Our swords being of the same type, so we belong together, only whole when we're with each other. Your ash is the only thing that should withstand my poison—you're the only person I can be with because I ruin everything else around me. Just look at what I did to Kira.

We belong together, connected in a way Aizen could never dream of. That's why I wanted you whole and happen, never crying.

But I failed at that, too, Ran-chan.

I can feel you're tears falling onto my bloody face. It's my fault this time. If I was stronger, better, I wouldn't be dying, so you wouldn't cry.

I'm sorry, Rangiku, for leaving you alone for so long. Ichigo's got good eyes now, though. He'll defeat Aizen, and you'll be happy. The problem now is, I don't know if I even have a chance of living to see it.

So please, Ran-chan, smile for me?

* * *

AN: :sniffle: I wrote this in response to the latest couple of Bleach chapters. God, I really hope Gin doesn't die. I'll cry and blubber in my dorm while my roommate looks at me like I'm nuts and not speak to me for days cause she's ashamed. :sweatdrop: That's a really accurate, prediction actually... not that I'm thinking Gin will die because he can't yet. He can't leave Rangiku alone! :pout: Leave me a review if you feel the same way I do!


End file.
